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100 years ago in the Greeley Tribune-Republican, for the second week of August 1914:

Because of the war in Europe, many countries are ordering American immigrant men to return to their home countries and fight in the war. Locally, because of that, the increase in applications for citizenship in the United States has overwhelmed the Weld County Clerk’s Office, and they had to send special orders to Washington, D.C., for more official papers.

At the same time, the first increased costs because of the war have hit Greeley. Although the county produces a lot of sugar via sugar beets, the cost of sugar increased by 50 cents per 100 pounds because of the war’s cost in foodstuffs. The price of 100 pounds of sugar in Greeley went from $4.90 to $5.40. (The United States would not enter the war for three more years.)

Roy Laughlin, a delivery boy for a local drugstore, was carrying his matches for his cigars in his back pocket while riding his motorcycle machine on a delivery this morning. He smelled something burning, and stopped to investigate. That was when he felt the fire on his backside. He jumped into No. 3 Irrigation Ditch nearby, and was saved from being severely burned.

Farmers in northern Weld County have been fighting the killing and thefts of their chickens by a large eagle the farmers named “Old Baldy.” They have lost dozens of chickens to the eagle, which swoops down and takes them out of the farmer’s yards or even the open-roofed coops. But farmer Harry Radcliffe lassoed the eagle this week, and tried to place it in a cage. The eagle fought back so hard, Radcliffe said he had to shoot him. Measured from the top of his head to the tips of his tail feathers, Old Baldy was eight feet tall and weighed 52 pounds. Radcliff said he will have the bird stuffed and mounted and will have it on display at his home.

In Carr, the Carr Bachelors’ Club is slowly disappearing. Formed three years ago by 18 confirmed bachelors who vowed not to get married, the club is now down to only six members. All the others left the club when they met women they wanted to marry.

John Elliott of Milliken invented a Button Hole Machine, which can be attached to your sewing machine and make button holes, embroidery and lettering easier. It costs $3.75, and is selling so fast Elliott can’t keep up with the demand. He is also being pursued by several sewing machine manufacturers to sell his patent.

A.J. Campbell, who owns a horse barn at 6th Avenue and 9th Street in Greeley, is having a gigantic horse sale. He is offering family-driving horses, mountain horses and saddle horses for sale from $35 and up.

In Ault, livery stable owner John Joseph reported a “small fortune” was stolen from him overnight. He said he went to sleep with $3,750 in cash and stock certificates, and when he woke, it was gone from his pocket. Two men were arrested, but later released when the money and stocks were found in Joseph’s home laundry basket. He said he suffered a “loss of memory for a few minutes” and must have hidden the money in the basket during that time.

In Pueblo City Court, a judge heard the case of a man who got angry and drunk, and broke up all the furniture in their house. He ordered the man to buy new furniture, gave him a $50 fine, and told the man’s wife that the next time he did something like that, she has the judge’s permission to tie him up and beat him with a dishrag until it is worn out.

Charles Knelly of Greeley boasts he has grown the largest tomatoes in the town. He has many which are the size of croquet balls, and one that measured 16 inches in circumference. That tomato, which weighed two pounds, was Knelly’s entire dinner last night.

When Sligo Postmaster Ben Harkins received the letter from an Ohio woman who was looking for a husband, he showed it to several friends, but decided —­ as a joke ­— to answer the letter himself. Now he doesn’t know what to do, because he received another letter from the woman, who said she’s on her way to Colorado, to marry him. He said he’s no longer laughing at his own joke.

“100 Years Ago” is taken from the original pages of The Greeley Tribune, The Weld County Republican, and, when they merged, The Greeley Tribune-Republican. Questions or comments may be sent to mpeters26@comcast.net.